Run, Cheese, Run
by Nerdherder51
Summary: A hawk tries to make a meal out of Cheese the mouse. Meanwhile, Vidia must face her greatest fear, being captured by the hawk. A short, one shot story. Rated T for frightening imagery. Featuring Tinker Bell, Vidia and Cheese the mouse.


**Disclaimer: Tinker Bell, the Disney Fairies, associated characters and places are the property of the Walt Disney Company. Tinker Bell originated by J. M. Barrie. With thanks to the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children of London. The following fan fiction is not for monetary gain and is intended only for the entertainment of its audience.**

* * *

Prologue

_Oh this is a perfect end to a perfectly awful day_, Tinker Bell thought as the Healing Talent Fairy buried his elbow into her back and moved it around in little circles. She lay atop a bed made of cotton wrapped in leaves which itself sat atop a table constructed of twigs securely tied together with stem twine and string.

"OW! Not so hard," she griped.

"Sorry," the healing fairy answered, "but you're wound up tight this evening. May I ask what happened?"

Tinker Bell began to recall the events of the day to the sparrow man.

* * *

The Hawk

The fairies of Pixie Hollow had been preparing for a trip to the mainland to bring the summer season. Tinker Bell was looking forward to spending more time with Lizzy and her father Dr. Griffiths. Tink had befriended the father / daughter pair last summer mostly by accident. However, the eventful first contact yielded so much for both sides. Tinker Bell and her friends learned more about humans while the often occupied and distracted Dr. Griffith's learned to slow down and make more time for his young daughter.

Today, though, was a disaster for the Tinker Talent Fairies. The hawk returned and tried to make a meal of them. Cheese, the cart pulling mouse was leaving Tinkers' Nook with a cart full of replacement parts to be airlifted to the summer camps on the mainland. But upon seeing the diving predator, Cheese turned and raced back towards the Nook. The hawk reached out and momentarily grabbed one end of the cart spilling out everything inside.

When Fairy Mary saw the predator swooping down on her charges she sounded an alarm bell and yelled, "HAWK! Take cover! Take cover!" The Tinker fairies began diving into shelters, hiding under tables and ducking into every hole and crack they could find. As Cheese bolted through the open air quad, he turned left and right, changing directions quickly and erratically to stay away from his pursuer.

The hawk reached down again with its sharp talons for the scampering mouse, knocking over tables, breaking pots and bowls and scattering tools in every direction. Cheese ran as fast has his little feet could move. The enormous bird flapped its wings to catch up to its speedy prey, scratching at the ground trying to scoop up the fuzzy, little morsel.

When Tinker Bell saw her dear friend, Cheese, about to become a Hawk's dinner she ran out of her hiding place, grabbed a hammer from the ground and flung it with all her might at the huge avian. The tool impacted the bird's head, but it didn't deter the monster. Tinker Bell launched another tool, this one found its mark in the bird's eye, catching its attention. _Uh oh, now what do I do, _she thought to herself as the bird turned and spied the lone pixie.

"Run, Cheese, Run," Tink shouted to the frightened mouse. He raced out through the other end of the open space and headed towards the tinkers' houses. The hawk meanwhile started walking over towards Tinker Bell. The frightened little pixie began side stepping away from the huge bird looking for a tool to throw or a place to hide.

Suddenly, another hammer hit the side of the bird. "Get out of here you overgrown chicken," yelled Bobble in his distinctive brogue. The hawk turned towards the male tinker just as a table flew in and popped the angry bird smack between the eyes. Clank, big and strong, had heaved the work bench at the predator. As the hawk leaned over to get a closer look at what was now going to be its new meal, the bird let out a terrifying screech.

"Run, Clanky," Bobble screamed, "split up." Bobble ran to his right and heard the hawk right behind him. _At least Clanky will be safe_, Bobble thought. But when he turned around he saw Clank sprinting right behind. "No, the other way," he said. When the tinker sparrow man saw the hawk reaching down with its massive beak Bobble yelled, "Too late, RUN, RUN!"

"Make up your mind, Bobble. 'Run,' or 'Don't run.'" The larger sparrow man complained.

Suddenly a powerful wind blew through the Tinkers' Nook. It knocked over hollowed out gourds which smashed to bits when they hit solid objects, flung baskets out of the Nook and pushed Tink and the others into the walls of the quad. The giant predator spread its massive wings and took flight and began riding the air current. Hovering above Tinker's Nook was Vidia, the Fast Flying Talent Fairy who commanded the winds with her pixie magic. But the hawk wasn't afraid. It held its own in Vidia's powerful gale and stared down the flyer with its unwavering gaze.

"You think you can eat my friends and get away with it? Not while I'm around!" Vidia bellowed at the huge creature. Tinker Bell put her arms up to shield her face and eyes against the powerful winds. She heard Vidia's defiant statement, but saw in the flyer's face just how truly frightened she really was. Vidia was breathing heavily, almost gasping for air. Her eyes were wide with terror and her body was trembling. Vidia wanted to run, desperately wanting to be anywhere else but here. Tink could see it plainly even from where she was situated.

Then Tinker Bell felt something sting her skin; then again and again. The winds were being accompanied by rain pushed into her at terrific speeds. _Silvermist must be here_, she thought.

"Cover your eyes!" Tink heard Iridessa yell out. All the pixies in the Nook shut their eyes tight and covered them with their hands or arms. But even through this protection Tink could see the brilliant flash of light. Then she heard the hawk screech again. The winds died down and so did the stinging water spray.

The massive bird flew upwards away from them. Then it turned, pulled in its wings and charged downward towards Pixie Hollow and Tinkers' Nook again. As it swooped down pebbles, nuts, fruits and acorns began pelting it from above.

Scout talents accompanied by every available pixie and sparrow man rained down any and all items they could carry. Fawn and Rosetta were among the assault. Fawn launched pebbles with a sling while Rosetta flung spear grass at the monstrous avian. Each fairy repulsing the attacker felt severe tightness in their stomachs wondering if they had been too late. Were any of their friends gone forever, now sliding down that monster's gullet?

The hawk, unable to sustain against such a heavy attack flew off into the deep blue sky. The scouts pursued to completely drive the giant predator out of Pixie Hollow, while the volunteers now fully exhausted of ammunition, descended to the ground to assess the damage and learn the fates of their friends.

* * *

Cheese

With the threat gone, Tinker Bell followed the trail of the scared little mouse all the way to her house. He had somehow scampered up the root on which her tea kettle home rested and smashed through the door, wedging himself and the cart in the door jamb. Tink slid through one of the windows and found Cheese dangling from his harness. He was squeaking frantically while he flailed his tiny pink feet in the air still trying to run. Tinker Bell tried to calm the little creature by releasing him from his harness. But the trembling mouse began to scratch the ground trying to dig a hole to safety. He tore up the carpeting Tinker Bell had laid down after she had the new home brought to this spot.

When he couldn't dig into the floor Cheese started sprinting around the house looking for a way out or a safe place to hide. In the process, he knocked over Tink's furniture, smashed her kettles and pots and flung her tools, inventions and collected items all about before he squeezed himself under the bed. Tinker Bell tried to coax the shaken mouse from under there. First she tried to talk him out. When this failed the pixie lay down pieces of muffins and cheese, but to no avail.

Fawn arrived, entering the cottage as Tink had before, through an open window. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm fine, but Cheese is hiding under my bed and I can't calm him one bit," the tinker fairy replied. "The hawk chased him through Tinkers' Nook and now he is too scared to come out."

"I'll take care of it." Fawn, the Animal Talent Fairy knelt down next to the bed and began speaking in soothing tones to the trembling mouse. She put her hand on his coat and could feel his heart beating so rapidly Fawn thought he might pass away from fright. "Oh don't worry, Cheese. Fawn is here to keep you safe," she whispered sweetly, "that mean old hawk is gone and he won't bother you again."

Fawn began to gently stroke the mouse's fur. She then motioned to Tink to help. Tinker Bell sat on her legs and began to stroke the frightened little mouse, too. Fawn started singing what sounded almost like a lullaby to Cheese. Slowly this began to work as the little creature calmed down a bit.

A noise at the door, however, undid all of this and Cheese tried to slip out from under the bed. Fawn managed to keep him there. While Tink went to the door where the cart was jammed in, Fawn lay down on the floor and slid under the bed with the mouse. Again she sung into the mouse's ear a sweet and gentle lullaby.

"Hello," Tink answered, "hello? Who is out there?"

"It's us, Miss Bell," came a booming and familiar voice, "Clank and Bobble."

"Aye, Miss Bell, we're going to pull this cart out of your doorway," Bobble added, "so stand back."

Tinker Bell returned to her bed and knelt down to comfort Cheese again. "Fawn? Where are you?"

"Under the bed, with Cheese," Fawn replied. After a brief pause both giggled a bit at how that sounded. "Could you sit at the front of the bed and let Cheese see you. All that noise is going to frighten him more and he needs a familiar face to keep him from bolting out the door."

Tink did as told and gave her mouse friend a smiling, sympathetic face to focus on as the cart was noisily wrenched from its stuck place in the door jamb.

The cart finally removed Rosetta, Silvermist and Iridessa all ran in through the opening to see their friend. "Are you okay, Tink?" Silvermist asked. "What about Cheese? We heard the hawk was after him."

"We're both okay, Sil," Tink replied as she stood up from the bedside. "What happened to the hawk? Is it still out there?"

"Don't worry, that pin feathered menace won't bother us for a while," came a voice from the doorway. Standing there was Vidia, her arms were folded and her head was cocked to one side. "The scout talents drove that bird brained bird right out of Pixie Hollow and clear out over the water."

As she strode into Tink's dwelling Vidia looked around and saw the smashed door on the ground and several pots and personal items flung around the room. "I love what you've done with the place, Tink. It's definitely you."

"Vidia! How can you be so mean?" Iridessa scolded.

"Oh she's fine, Dessa," Vidia said casually. "You are fine, aren't you, Tink?"

"Yeah," Tinker Bell said. She then let out a deep sigh and started picking up all the overturned furniture and the shards of broken pots and bowls.

"Oh let us help, Shug," Rosetta said. Immediately, all the fairies, save for Fawn who was busy with Cheese, started to pick things up. "You all give Tink a hand and I'll supervise."

Upon hearing this, the other fairies stopped what they were doing and shot Rosetta dirty looks.

"Okay, okay, I'll pitch in," she conceded.

"You don't have to do that, guys," Tink stated, "I'm sure there is plenty to do around Pixie Hollow than to bother with my little problem."

Iridessa walked over to Tinker Bell, knelt down and with a stern look in her eyes said, "We are your friends and we will always be there to help you."

A smile crept across the tinker fairy's face. She knew this so well. They had come for her when Tink was inadvertently captured by the Griffiths. Then, when Tink discovered she had a sister named Periwinkle in the once forbidden Winter Woods, each and every one of them pitched in to help her to go against the rules and spend time with Peri. Tink always knew they would be there for her, but it was always a pleasant reminder when they did.

Silvermist was picking up items by the bed and saw Fawn underneath it with her arms wrapped around Cheese, the mouse. Fawn was snuggling up against him and singing. "Hi, Fawn," the water fairy said, "it looks like you finally found the right man for you."

Fawn, with a furrowed brow and curl on one side of her mouth, reached up over the bed, grabbed a pillow and swatted Silvermist over the head with it. Rosetta, who was close by put her arms up in a defensive position and said, "Hey, watch where you're swingin' that thing."

"All right, that's enough of that," said Fairy Mary in her Lancashire accent. The supervisor for all the Tinkers was standing just outside the open doorway. She checked in with everyone and made sure Tinker Bell and Cheese were unharmed. "It looks like everyone survived the hawk," she reported.

A collective sigh of relief came from the girls in the room.

Fairy Mary flittered into Tink's house and announced that Tinker's Nook had been heavily damaged. The tinkers had been put more than a month behind schedule. "I'm afraid that all the tinkers will have to work double shifts," she said. Then with deep resignation in her voice, added, "We are still going to be behind schedule by at least two full weeks."

"You mean summer is going to be delayed," Dessa asked.

"No, all the nature talent fairies will be on schedule, but the tinkers will have to follow two weeks later with all of our deliveries." Fairy Mary then looked at the blonde haired pixie, "We need you back at the Nook as soon as you get your house in order, Tinker Bell."

Tinker Bell's heart sunk, it would mean she would miss seeing Lizzy for those two weeks. What would the poor girl think? Would she feel abandoned or forgotten? Would Lizzy worry? Without knowing she spoke these worries aloud to everyone in the room.

"Oh, don't worry, Tinker Bell. When we go to the mainland we will stop by the house and let her know what happened," Rosetta volunteered. "Now you get on back to work and we will stay here and finish cleaning up for you."

"Yes," the other fairies chimed in. "We'll do it."

With tears welling up in her eyes, Tink gave warm hugs to all her friends. When Tink came to Vidia, though, the Fast Flying Talent Fairy just stuck her hand out for a firm handshake. Tinker Bell took her hand and then pulled Vidia into a long and warm embrace. "Thanks," Tink whispered into Vidia's ear. Before leaving for another long shift, the Tinker Fairy wrapped up a piece of bread, a few berries and some cheese for her dinner.

* * *

Epilogue

"No wonder you're so tense," the healing talent fairy said. "But at least you have some close friends to help you out."

Tinker Bell smiled, "Yes. Yes I do."

At the end of the session, the healing sparrow man massaged in some warming oils to further loosen up the muscles in Tink's back. Once done, he left the room so Tinker Bell could wrap herself in a towel made of woven flower petals. Stepping through a curtain composed of hanging palm fronds she then walked down a hallway to a larger waiting area where her friends sat patiently and all were wearing similar towels.

"Oh, thank you, Tink," Rosetta offered, "a night out at the spa was a great idea."

"No, thank you. My house looks perfect again."

"I hope the leaves hanging over your entry way aren't a bother. Clank and Bobble will install a new door tomorrow," Iridessa stated. "It's the best we could do on such short notice. Cheese really banged up the other one."

"Oh no, it's just fine." Tinker Bell turned to Fawn. "By the way, how is Cheese doing?"

"It took a while, but he finally calmed down," Fawn answered. "He is sleeping soundly in his bed tonight."

"Oh that's great. I was so worried about him," Tink replied. "So are we ready for the steam room?"

The pixies all agreed and in unison started walking towards the room.

"So, Fawn," chimed in Silvermist, "when are you and Cheese getting married?"

"Oh stop it, Sil," Fawn snapped. The other pixies giggled.

Tinker Bell motioned to Vidia to stay behind. "What do you want, Tink?" Vidia asked.

Tinker Bell took a deep breath, let it out and then spoke, "Thank you."

"Yeah, yeah, I put your house in order. Let's go."

"No, I mean back at the Nook," Tinker Bell clarified. "You risked your life to keep us all alive even though you were so scared."

"No, stop right there," Vidia said putting her hand up in Tink's face, "I wasn't scared of that featherbrained bird."

Tinker Bell gave Vidia an "I don't believe you for a second" look. The first time Tinker Bell encountered the hawk Vidia was petrified of it just like everyone else in Pixie Hollow. But at the Nook this afternoon, Vidia had somehow managed to put her greatest fears aside and stood toe to toe with that monster bird to keep all the tinkers in Tinkers' Nook alive and safe. "I saw it in your face, Vidia. You were as scared as Cheese."

"Hey!" Vidia scolded, wagging a finger in Tinker Bell's face, "that stays between you and me. If even a whisper of this gets out to the rest of Pixie Hollow I'll blow your house all the way to New Jersey. Is that clear?"

"Okay, okay," Tinker Bell said with a knowing smile. She could tell Vidia wasn't serious. The Fast Flying Talent Fairy had developed a certain reputation and didn't want it completely ruined. So Tink went along with it. "But thank you anyway." She put her arms up to embrace her friend again, but Vidia stopped her.

"And don't hug me anymore," Vidia added, "You hug way too much."

Tinker Bell laughed as she walked towards the steam rooms and their waiting friends.

What Vidia Experienced at Tinker's Nook

Vidia's fears ran deep when it came to the hawk. Even as a fast flyer with the ability to outfly some of these predators, she was in no hurry to learn which ones she couldn't outrun. Now her worst nightmares were coming true. Taking a position directly in front of the winged devil to protect her friends in Tinker's Nook she had made the mistake of staring directly into its eyes. They didn't stare back at her. Instead it was like looking into two deep, almost endless voids. This monstrous predator had no soul. She still held her position. Was it bravery or fear? Her winds kept this thing at bay for the moment. But that moment had passed.

The hawk, its giant body and impossible wingspan filling Vidia's vision slid closer and closer towards her. It was too late to run, Vidia was staring death in the face. She had no choice now. The fast flyer would sacrifice herself for her friends. Better to do it facing it down than running like a coward. But Vidia didn't want to see what would come next, so she closed her eyes and turned away from the creature.

Instead she felt her end. The beak grabbed her arm and crushed the bones so easily. The Fast Flyer shrieked. Then came the searing pain of her flesh being torn by the talons of the hawk. Her warm blood pouring out of her. It grabbed her body and she could feel its breath on her face. She didn't look, but Vidia knew she was about to be swallowed whole by this devil with wings. _I just hope everyone else is safe_, was her last thought.

The warmth of her blood draining down her body was now mixed with something cold and wet. It pelted her from behind. _Silvermist, she's here to help me. No, Sil, leave. Don't get yourself killed over me. I'm not worth it._

"Silvermist, run!" she screamed to her friend.

"I'm not running, Vidia," Sil responded. "Just hold it down and we can drive it out of here."

Hold it down? Vidia opened her eyes. The hawk was still riding her gales at a safe distance. Somehow she had dreamed the whole thing. Her fears and imagination overriding what she was seeing for a moment before Silvermist came along and broke her from her terror.

The little tinker fairy thought she knew just how scared Vidia was. She had no idea. Vidia waited for a second before following her friends into the steam room. Her ordeal was over and the flyer had survived. No need in reliving the past. Instead she would live for the now and would enjoy the closeness of the friendships she had made.

THE END

* * *

**When I first decided to write fan fiction for Tinker Bell, this was the first story I wrote. I had never intended to post it here. Instead this was just as a means of practicing the craft until I could write well enough to make submissions. Besides, other and far better stories about Vidia and the hawk already exist here on this site. **

**Vidia's nightmare was inspired by the short story ****An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge**** by Ambrose Bierce first published in 1890.**

**While sorting out and removing old and unfinished works I reread this and decided it wasn't as bad as I had originally thought. I hope you have enjoyed it. Please leave a review or a PM. Thank you for your kindness.**


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